NPR美国国家公共电台 2013-06-11

　　From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

 

　　More than 20,000 people have petitioned the White House to pardon Edward Snowden for leaking secret documents. NPR's Scott Horsley reports the former national security agency contractor¹ admits to be the source of leaks that expose widespread government surveillance efforts.

 

　　The White House declared comment on the suspected leaker, citing an ongoing² justice department investigation³. White House spokesman Jay Carney says in general, leaks of classified information are a problem. Even though the president has said he welcomes more public debate, of the tradeoffs between privacy and security.

 

　　This is not the manner by which he had hoped, to have the debate but to believe it's in our interest as a nation to discuss it and debate it and for us to collectively assess where that balance should be struck.

 

　　The president has said he believes collecting telephone and internet communications data is both necessary and effective at preventing terrorism. Scott Horsley NPR News, the White House.

 

　　Britain is dismissing as baseless allegations that it got around its surveillance law by using PRISM, one of the NRC programs recently discosed to the media. Foreign secretary William Hague told parliament that its own eavesdropping⁴ agency GCHQ strictly⁵ adheres to British law. The NRC issue is expected to come up during President Obama's trip to Germany next week. Chancellor⁶ Angela Merkel's office says she plans to question Obama about the impact of the programs on Germans and other Europeans who often use US based internet providers.

 

　　Secretary of state John Kerry called off plans to visit the middle east this week to take part in the White House meetings on Syria. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports, the Obama administration's looking for ways to help opponents of Bashar al-Assad.

 

　　The rebel defeat in the Syrian city of Qusair last week seems to be win heavily on the administration officials. Spokesperson, JanZuckyxx, says conditions of the ground in Syria have worsened and she says Kerry will be taking part in discussion to the White House on how to support the opposition⁷.

 

　　and a wide range of options have been prepared for their president's consideration and internal meetings to discuss the situation.

 

　　Obama administration officials have rolled out having boots on the ground in Syria, but they're expected to discuss arming the rebels who have been losing ground in their fight to topple Bsahar Al Assad regime. Michele Kelemen NPR News, the state department.

 

　　Meanwhile human rights groups are again warning of escalating⁸ abuses by rebel fighters. Over the weekend, activists⁹ group reported that a teenage had been publicly executed by Islamist rebel fighters in Aleppo, for allegedly offensive remarks about the islam, it is unclear if the rebels were sharing in foreign fighters backing the opposition.

 

　　Before the closing bell, Dow Jones Industrial Average turned lower down nine points at 15,239; NASDAQ up five and the S&P 500 down slightly. This is NPR News.

 

　　The series of explosions involving car bombings and a suicide attack rocked two towns north of Bagdad today. Local authorities say at least 21 people were killed. The blood shed follows months of protests by the country's Sunnite Arab minority against the Shiah-led government. Ranging fierce sectarian violence will continue to escalate¹⁰ in Iraq.

 

　　Former South African president and anti apartheid icon¹¹ Nelson Mandela remains¹² in serious but stable condition at a Pretoria hospital for a reoccuring lung infection. His ex-wife, Winnie visited the hospital. NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports their eldest¹³ daughter has flown home to Johannesburg from Argentina.

 

　　South Africa's presidential press man says there is no change in Nelson Mandela's serious but stable condition since he visited matey to a Pretoria hospital earlier on Saturday. Winnie Madikizela Mandela, the illing Mandela's former wife visited him. Their eldest daughter Zenani, who's South Africa's embassador to Argentina, arrived back in Johannesburg to visit her father. The revered¹⁴ 94-year-old former president, is in intensive care. Official say they want to control the flow of visiters to avoid stressing Mandela. Earlier, local media reported that Mandela's wanted to restrict visiters to family members, excluding government and party officials, a claim denied by the ANC and the official spokesman. Ofeibea Quist-Arcton NPR News, Johannesburg.

 

　　The man appointed to a temprarily service senator of New Jersey¹⁵ is due to take the oath at officer this afternoon, this hour, effect, Jeffrey Chiesa was selected to fill the stay left vacant, and democrat¹⁶ Frank Lautenberg died last week.

 

　　I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington.

1 contractor   

n.订约人，承包人，收缩肌

参考例句：

• The Tokyo contractor was asked to kick $ 6000 back as commission.那个东京的承包商被要求退还6000美元作为佣金。
• The style of house the contractor builds depends partly on the lay of the land.承包商所建房屋的式样，有几分要看地势而定。

2 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

3 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

4 eavesdropping   

n. 偷听

参考例句：

• We caught him eavesdropping outside the window. 我们撞见他正在窗外偷听。
• Suddenly the kids,who had been eavesdropping,flew into the room. 突然间，一直在偷听的孩子们飞进屋来。

5 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

6 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

7 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

8 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

9 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

11 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

12 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

13 eldest   

adj.最年长的，最年老的

参考例句：

• The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
• The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。

14 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

15 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

16 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。